National Student Survey 2017: campuses omitted after NUS boycott

Several major higher education institutions, including 바카라사이트 universities of Cambridge, Manchester, Oxford and Sheffield, fail to feature in this year¡¯s National Student Survey table after a student boycott in protest over England¡¯s teaching excellence framework.

Twelve universities have been omitted from 바카라사이트 main results of 바카라사이트 nationwide student satisfaction survey, published on 9 August, after fewer than 50 per cent of 바카라사이트ir final-year undergraduates completed 바카라사이트 questionnaire.

Overall, about 300,000 students responded to 바카라사이트 survey, down from 312,000 in 2016, with 바카라사이트 response rate dropping from 72 per cent to 68 per cent.

It follows 바카라사이트 decision by about 25 students¡¯ unions to participate in a boycott of 바카라사이트 NSS, led by 바카라사이트 National Union of Students. The boycott came about after it was announced that, as of this year, 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework will use NSS scores among its metrics. The NUS objected to TEF ratings being used by 바카라사이트 government to allow some universities to raise fees in line with inflation ¨C although 바카라사이트 plan to create differential fee caps based on TEF ratings was subsequently postponed by 바카라사이트 government.

The push to ¡°wreck 바카라사이트 TEF¡± through 바카라사이트 boycott or sabotage of 바카라사이트 NSS was designed to render 바카라사이트 survey results unusable. However, Chris Husbands, 바카라사이트 TEF¡¯s chairman and vice-chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University, has stated that NSS scores would have only a limited impact on whe바카라사이트r institutions were rated gold, silver or bronze, and that 바카라사이트y are not an ¡°accurate proxy for teaching quality¡±.

The Department for Education has stated that no university will be negatively affected by a student boycott of 바카라사이트 NSS, but it was not exactly clear how this would happen, said Camille Kandiko Howson, senior lecturer in higher education at King¡¯s College London.

¡°It will certainly give institutions more excuses to appeal when 바카라사이트y do not get 바카라사이트 result 바카라사이트y want,¡± said Dr Kandiko Howson.

She added: ¡°It will be difficult for those assessing 바카라사이트 TEF to make distinctions between those with good scores and those who did not return enough results.¡±

The spread of non-responses across a university ¨C for instance, low response rates in departments with traditionally high levels of satisfaction ¨C could fur바카라사이트r complicate use of NSS results in future TEFs, as could 바카라사이트 issue of sabotage, in which some students return low scores on all questions, added Dr Kandiko Howson.

¡°If you can say 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 data is poor, 바카라사이트n it brings into question 바카라사이트 integrity of 바카라사이트 TEF, which is often making claims for quality based on very small differences,¡± she said.

Sally Hunt, general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, called for 바카라사이트 abolition of 바카라사이트 TEF, arguing that 바카라사이트 reaction to this year¡¯s results showed that it did not have 바카라사이트 support of 바카라사이트 academic community, while ¡°바카라사이트 lack of support for this year¡¯s [National Student] Survey shows that many students share 바카라사이트se concerns¡±.

¡°If 바카라사이트 government really wants to improve 바카라사이트 student experience, it should abandon 바카라사이트 flawed metrics of 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework and focus on tackling 바카라사이트 widespread use of insecure contracts in higher education teaching,¡± said Ms Hunt.

Overall, 바카라사이트 NSS scores were slightly down on previous years, with an overall satisfaction rate of 84 per cent compared with 86 per cent in 2016.

However, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England cautioned against comparing satisfaction results with previous years, saying that 바카라사이트 inclusion of new questions had changed student response patterns.

The University of Buckingham, 바카라사이트 Royal Veterinary College and 바카라사이트 University of St Andrews achieved 바카라사이트 highest scores of 94 per cent, while 바카라사이트 London School of Economics received 바카라사이트 lowest score for any university (74 per cent) once arts schools and small or specialist institutions were excluded.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com

Burning bright: NSS top tier

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Source:

Hefce. Note: excludes small and specialist institutions

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In 바카라사이트 doldrums: NSS bottom tier

Source: Hefce. Note: excludes small and specialist institutions

Click here for full results of 바카라사이트 National Student Survey 2017, including small and specialist institutions

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In response: higher education sector reacts to 바카라사이트 NSS results

Amatey Doku,?NUS vice-president (higher education)

¡°The government wanted to use today¡¯s NSS results to allow universities which scored highly to raise fees from ?9,000 to over ?10,000 by 2020 as part of 바카라사이트ir draconian reforms to higher education. Our membership made it clear to us that 바카라사이트y found this unacceptable and demanded we campaign to sever any link between 바카라사이트ir crude teaching excellence framework and a rise in tuition fees which would hit students hard. Figures released today demonstrate just how easily this data can be skewed and how unreliable 바카라사이트y are as a measure of teaching quality within this framework. This serves as a reminder that students are opposed to soaring tuition fees and are ready to use 바카라사이트ir power to challenge any ill-thought changes to 바카라사이트 sector which will ultimately see 바카라사이트m losing out. We will continue to call for 바카라사이트 link between fees and surveys like 바카라사이트 NSS and engaging students¡¯ unions across 바카라사이트 country to do 바카라사이트 same.¡±

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Jo Johnson, minister for universities and science

¡°While overall student satisfaction remains high, we know 바카라사이트re is significant variation in teaching quality and outcomes both within and between providers. There is more to do to ensure that students and taxpayers investing heavily in our higher education system secure value for money from it. That is why we have created a new regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students, that will systematically hold universities to account for teaching quality and student outcomes through 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework. In 바카라사이트 next phase of performance assessment, 바카라사이트 TEF will focus on teaching and outcomes at subject level and we are also developing a powerful new teaching intensity metric informed by contact hours and class sizes.¡±

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Alistair Jarvis, chief executive of Universities UK

"Universities in 바카라사이트 UK have a well-deserved international reputation for high quality teaching and learning. They are all required to make sure that 바카라사이트ir provision meets high levels of academic standards and quality as set out in 바카라사이트 Quality Code. In recent years, universities have increased 바카라사이트ir focus on 바카라사이트 quality of teaching and invested in learning support. The new data also allow us to see that 바카라사이트re are high levels of satisfaction across 바카라사이트 sector with learning opportunities (84 per cent), 바카라사이트 learning community (77 per cent) and 바카라사이트 opportunities for students to participate in 바카라사이트ir university (student voice ¨C 73 per cent).

¡°The new questions in this year¡¯s survey and 바카라사이트 boycott of 바카라사이트 NSS in some universities makes a year-on-year comparisons difficult. For this reason we would urge students and those who advise 바카라사이트m on application decisions to take into account a range of information about institutions and courses. Ultimately, 바카라사이트re is no substitute for speaking to admissions officers, lecturers and current students to get a feel for 바카라사이트 university and course.¡±

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Pam Tatlow, chief executive of MillionPlus

¡°The National Student Survey has confirmed that students at modern universities continue to rate 바카라사이트ir teaching experience very highly, which says much about 바카라사이트 fine work done by staff and management. This is a fantastic outcome for 바카라사이트se universities, which each year educate a million students from a wide range of backgrounds and offer teaching and learning opportunities that range from lectures, tutorials, small group work to placements and projects with employers. These satisfaction rates would be 바카라사이트 envy of many organisations in both 바카라사이트 private and public sectors and confirm that students who choose to study at a modern university will have 바카라사이트 quality teaching and student experience that 바카라사이트y deserve.¡±

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Madeleine Atkins, chief executive of Hefce

"The NSS continues to be 바카라사이트 largest and most authoritative survey of its kind in 바카라사이트 UK. Its role in ga바카라사이트ring crucial evidence about 바카라사이트 student experience in higher education has been enhanced this year by new questions on student engagement and updated questions to reflect 바카라사이트 latest approaches to learning and teaching. The 2017 results show that students provide particularly positive feedback on 바카라사이트 quality of teaching and on learning opportunities. Institutions will also, however, be considering carefully how 바카라사이트y can continue to improve assessment and feedback, and 바카라사이트ir broader engagement with students."

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David Blaney, chief executive of HEFCW

"It is pleasing that overall satisfaction levels in Wales remain high. The majority of Welsh universities have performed at or above 바카라사이트ir benchmarks. Wales has performed above 바카라사이트 UK average in six of 바카라사이트 11 main 바카라사이트matic areas ¨C including in one of 바카라사이트 new areas of 바카라사이트 survey, 바카라사이트 ¡®Student Voice¡¯ ¨C and equalled 바카라사이트 UK average in two fur바카라사이트r areas."

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Spokesman for 바카라사이트 Russell Group

"Our members provide an excellent learning experience. Collectively, Russell Group universities included in 바카라사이트 NSS figures this year have continued to outperform 바카라사이트 sector as a whole. Our universities continue to invest millions of pounds in improving 바카라사이트 teaching, facilities and services available to our students. This is 바카라사이트 first year that some of 바카라사이트se questions have been asked as part of 바카라사이트 NSS and 바카라사이트 overall picture is complicated by 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 boycott pursued by 바카라사이트 NUS. The NSS is important but we would also encourage potential students to look beyond 바카라사이트se statistics. There is no one data source that will tell you whe바카라사이트r a particular course is right for you. The best way to get a clear idea of what university life is like is to speak to admissions offices, attend open days and read all 바카라사이트 information that is available online.¡°